What is the situation of relational algebra?

[OppenheimerBohr]

Hi!
I would like to know if my assumptions are right:

• Topology is the merging domain of analysis and algebra;
• Relational algebra use topological operators;
• Relational algebra is a specification of topology

?

 

[jedishrfu]

The relational algebra I know of is related to database design:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_algebra

 

[OppenheimerBohr]

Thanks Jedishrfu,

I am specialist in databases conception, so I know what you write. My question is about the theoretical aspect.

 

[aikismos]

Hi!
I would like to know if my assumptions are right:

• Topology is the merging domain of analysis and algebra;
• Relational algebra use topological operators;
• Relational algebra is a specification of topology

?

I would argue that your assumptions are not correct, based on a simple argument. I think it might be better to understand topology as a merger of real analysis and GEOMETRY, not algebra (analysis is an extension of the infinite to algebraic methods). For instance, think of the homeomorphisms or the Klein bottle. Secondly, relational algebra is a mathematical foundation of database query design which contains only 5 discrete-mathematical operations and is itself discrete and finite in practice; while both may stand on a set-theoretic foundation, the aims of the two are fundamentally different. I might make the simile that relational algebra to topology is a lot like the division between algebra and calculus. But I'd be interested in a counter argument.